


Heart's Desire

by aestivali



Category: Ancient History RPF, Historical RPF, Ptolemaic Egypt RPF, Roman Republic RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Gift Giving, Guessing game, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 14:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4140663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aestivali/pseuds/aestivali
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Antony has a gift for Cleopatra, and he wants her to guess what it is - but his clues are part of the game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart's Desire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [joyeusenoelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/joyeusenoelle/gifts).



A warm breeze ruffled the scroll Cleopatra was holding, disrupting her concentration. It was a fine spring day in Alexandria - hot, though not unpleasantly so, and far from the oppressive heat of summer at its height - and she sighed as the breeze ghosted over her skin. The fresh air was a welcome sensation, and she let herself enjoy it for a moment before she returned to reading the report on grain distribution.

Something interrupted her more permanently a few minutes later. It came in the form of Mark Antony, great general of the Roman Republic, as he bounced into the room. His face was alight with excitement, and he was practically skipping - an interesting sight on such a large bull of a man.

"Are you busy?" he asked, coming to a halt near her.

"No," she said, rolling up the scroll. It wasn't urgent; she could return to it later. "What's put you in such a good mood?"

He shuffled closer, grinning. "I have a special gift for you."

"Ah, so it's arrived then?" she said, the corners of her lips twitching into a smile.

"You heard about it?" he said, the expression on his face instantly falling, like a cloud rolling over the sun.

Cleopatra just laughed. As if you could keep a secret from a queen in her own palace! Especially when you were Mark Antony, and your idea of secrecy was loud whispers in the corner of the room.

"Do you know what it is?" He was very nearly pouting.

She smiled gently and shook her head. "I decided to let you surprise me," Cleopatra said, patting his arm. This seemed to cheer him.

"The best choice! Now you can guess what it is."

She chuckled, removing her hand. "Ah, so you're going to make me work for my present."

"Oh no, you'll get it whether you're right or not." He smiled at her. "This is just a little game."

"I see," she said drily, but the faint smile from before did not fade.

"Go on, guess," he urged, edging closer to her again.

She smothered a giggle.

"Now, let me see," she said, drawing out her words as dramatically as possible. "What could such a man as you have brought me?"

"Ah, but I could bring you anything!" he exclaimed, gesturing wide. And she thought perhaps that was true - here was a powerful man, a triumvir of Rome, strong in mind and body. But perhaps he had limits too. "The real question is what _would_ I bring you."

"Yes, what would that strange head of yours think to give me," she said, chuckling, as she tapped those wild curls with the rolled papyrus in her hand.

"It's a present, so it's something you'll like." He paused. "At least, I hope it is."

"Despite everything, you rarely disappoint me," she said, letting some gentleness slip into her voice.

"I do try," he said, and if she read him right that had genuinely pleased him. "So, what do you think it is?"

She laid down the scroll, pretending to give his question serious consideration. "Hmm, something I'll like..."

"Something appropriate," he added.

"Something appropriate for the queen of Egypt," she mused.

"Indeed," he said, moving closer once more. "Something that shows my great affection for you."

Cleopatra affected a coy look. "Is it... a mountain of gold?"

"But Egypt is already swimming in gold," said Antony, aping dismay, responding to her act with one of his own. "That would hardly be a special gift."

"True, true," said Cleopatra, tapping her chin. "It would be flattering but unremarkable. I have little need of more gold."

"So I've got you something better than that," he said, earnest again. "Something thoughtful."

"If it is not gold, perhaps it is jewels." She waved one hand carelessly.

He leaned in and pressed a quick peck to her cheek. "What jewel could compare to you?"

"You flatter me, Antony," she said, fluttering her eyelashes.

He grinned at her. "That is my aim."

"And yet you have not brought me jewels," she accused, taking on an aura of mock-offence.

"No, something else," he said, unperturbed. "Take another guess."

Cleopatra sighed theatrically. "Incense and sweet-smelling oils?"

"But you already smell so sweet," he said, now fully playing up to her act.

She pulled back, touching one hand to her own chest. "So you would deny me the opportunity to pamper myself?"

"Only so I could pamper you instead," he said, sounding less saccharine than he might by virtue of his teasing tone. "But I've chosen a different method of pleasing you today."

"And pleasing yourself while you are at it," she said, her tone almost accusatory, "with your silly games."

He chuckled. "You don't have to play if you think it beneath you."

"If I did not wish to, I would not be doing so." She raised an eyebrow. "As you well know."

"I know you don't humour me for my own sake."

"No, we are oddly well-matched," she said, her voice softening for a moment.

"A rare thing in this world," he said, gently brushing one large hand over her cheek, "and the gift reflects that."

The touch, the quiet intimacy, sent a thrill down her spine. But she kept her face neutral, and stayed with the game. "Ah, so you seek to encapsulate our relationship in an object."

Antony laughed. "Not at all; I doubt that could even be done. But the gift is something unique."

Cleopatra took up her air of studied deliberation again. "Hmm, what in the world is there only one of?"

"Well, there is more than one of them," he said, giving her a cheeky look.

"Antony, you talk in riddles!" The note of exasperation in her voice was not entirely an act. "You're hardly playing fair."

This accusation didn't dent his enthusiasm the slightest bit. "What would life be without such little games?" he said, still smiling.

"I dread to think," she said sharply, though her expression was soft.

"But thinking of it would be a workout for that clever brain of yours." 

Cleopatra suppressed a most unqueenly snort. "Whereas this is not?"

"I'll give you a clue," he said, leaning down, almost close enough to kiss her forehead. "It's what I thought you would most want, and what reflects the thing I love most about you."

"So you will be removing your clothes then," Cleopatra said, absolutely deadpan.

Antony guffawed, slapping his own thigh. "Oho! Now I see what you think of me."

"My dear, it is what everyone thinks of you," she said, calmly. "Your reputation is legendary."

"And well-earned," he said, grinning. "But I am more than my reputation, am I not?"

"Indeed. I know you better than that."

"But not well enough that you can guess what I've brought you." There was a twinkle in his eye.

"You are a man of hidden depths," she said airily.

"It is why you love me." His expression was resolutely cheerful in the face of her coolness.

"Perhaps not the only reason," she said, feeling a little glow at the unbridled joy he was displaying.

"Then let me give you another one," he said, and held out his hand.

She slipped hers into it, and let him tug her out of the room, pulling her after him as he ran. He kept looking back at her, a big grin on his face, more like a young boy with a playmate than a great leader of the world. She couldn't help but smile back.

Eventually he led her into a great hall, where two servants were standing by. There was a trunk in the middle of the floor - this, presumably, contained the gift.

"Here we are, here we are!" exclaimed Antony, his excitement plain in his voice. He turned to her, beaming. "Go on, open it."

She smiled, slipping her hand from his, and moved over to the chest. It was large, and looked heavy. What could be in it? After all of Antony's clues, she still had no idea. All she knew was that it had been difficult to transport; those hushed whispers had not gone entirely unheard.

She placed both hands on the smooth wood and lifted the lid. Inside, it was carefully packed with layer upon layer of scrolls. She reached out to feel the rolled parchment, then turned to look back at Antony.

"For your library," he said simply.

She let out a long, low breath. "You seek to rebuild it?"

"Not with just the contents of this box," he said, smiling. "But this is merely a sample."

"How much more is there?" she asked, a little taken aback.

"Two hundred thousand scrolls," he said, beaming brightly now. "The entire contents of the Library of Pergamum."

"That is..." Cleopatra struggled to keep her face blank. "Quite a gift."

His smile now was almost cheeky. "I did say it was special."

She slowly closed the lid, and stood up. "That you did."

"I can't replace what has been lost," he said, moving closer to her, "but I can give you something new."

"All these works will be a great asset to the scholars of Alexandria," she said, tipping her face up to look at him, wide-eyed.

"And to you, I hope. Are you pleased?" he asked, slipping his arms around her. He was warm and solid, a comforting presence.

"Of course I am, you big fool," she said, giving him a genuine smile.

He laughed and pulled her into a proper hug, holding her close for a few moments, before he drew back to drink in her happy face again. At this point, she could no longer contain herself - nor did she wish to - and she started to laugh too. 

Antony, now practically bursting with pride, could not contain himself either. He took her hands in his and began to spin the two of them around, twirling on the spot, with a speed born of pure joy. And Cleopatra danced with him, until she was nearly as giddy as he seemed.


End file.
